7 Make-Ahead Breakfasts Even Novice Cooks Can Master

If a busy morning means your breakfast routine is more slamming coffee than sitting for food, consider this: A new study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation found that people who eat breakfast daily are less likely to have high cholesterol and blood pressure, while those who skip the morning meal in favor of grazing until lunch are more likely to be obese or be diagnosed with diabetes. The good news is that committing to a square meal doesn’t have to mean channeling your inner Martha Stewart at 7 a.m. These easy breakfast ideas can be made the night—or weekend—before.

1. CHIA PUDDING

Move over, quinoa. The latest superfood to get serious attention is the chia seed, which swells when soaked overnight in milk or rice milk to create a velvety, filling pudding. Prep the pudding in a mason jar or Tupperware and top it with chopped fruit, dried nuts, or a drizzle of honey, and your portable breakfast is good to go.

2. SLOW-COOKER OATMEAL

Overnight oats from the fridge are fine and dandy, but if you like your grains piping hot it’s time to pull out your slow cooker. Just dump everything in (steel cut oats, milk, sugar, a pinch of salt, a splash of vanilla), turn it on low, then get some shut eye. After eight hours of low heat, the oats will be perfectly creamy and ready to devour.

3. TORTILLA ESPANOLA

If you like to cook but just don’t have time most mornings, consider cranking out this dish on Sunday. A classic tapas dish in Spain, tortilla espanola layers potatoes with custardy eggs for a hearty egg dish that’s surprisingly tidy to eat. And because it keeps in the fridge for days—and can be eaten cold or reheated—cooking on Sunday will keep you fed until mid-week at least.

4. WHOLE WHEAT RASPBERRY RICOTTA SCONES

If muffin fatigue has hit you hard, give these offbeat scones a try: The ricotta and raspberries add subtle sweetness, and the whole-wheat flour helps them feel more virtuous than a giant bagel from the coffee shop.

5. SAUSAGE AND POTATO POCKETS

For those who prefer savory to sweet, pizza dough makes an excellent envelope for a mix of mushrooms, spinach, sausage, and potatoes. You can make these filled pockets over the weekend, then store them in the fridge to munch on weekday mornings.

6. BAKED OATMEAL CUPS

A casserole dish of fruit-studded baked oatmeal makes an effortless brunch for a crowd, but when you’re dining for one, monotony kicks in quick. That’s why these cups are so clever: Baking them in muffin tins means you can vary the toppings (nuts, seeds, dried fruit, nut butters) for a week’s worth of variety, already pre-portioned.

7. EGGS IN A HASH BROWN NEST

Eggs and potatoes that are portable and easy to prep the night before? Yup, possible. Fill a muffin tin halfway with shredded potatoes (or frozen tater tots), then cover with a mix of beaten eggs, diced veggies, and cheese. The baked result is an easy grab-and-go breakfast you can store in the fridge and eat all week.